The National Assembly is planning to translate Nigerian laws into indigenous languages, including Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, as part of efforts to make legislative information more accessible to citizens across the country.
The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, disclosed this on Monday, September 28, 2026, during the opening of the 2026 National Assembly Library Week in Abuja.
The three-day event, themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People,” is focused on promoting legislative research, improving access to information and strengthening the use of parliamentary resources.
Nwawuba explained that the planned translations would help more Nigerians understand the laws that affect their daily lives, particularly citizens who face language barriers when accessing legislative documents.
He noted that the National Assembly Library serves as a repository of parliamentary records, legislative information, research materials and documents reflecting Nigeria's democratic journey.
As part of efforts to improve access to these resources, the Trust Fund is upgrading its electronic library and developing a mobile application to make legislative information available to lawmakers, researchers, legislative aides and members of the public.
The library is also developing a Bills Tracker that would enable Nigerians to follow proposed legislation and monitor its progress through the legislative process.
In addition, the Trust Fund plans to produce infographics, audiovisual materials and video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures for the general public.
The initiative also includes plans for public policy dialogues aimed at encouraging greater citizen participation in public hearings and creating more opportunities for engagement between lawmakers, researchers and members of the public.
Speaking at the event, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, urged lawmakers to make greater use of the National Assembly Library, particularly amid growing concerns about misinformation, disinformation and the increasing use of artificial intelligence.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, emphasised the importance of preserving legislative records and making them accessible to future generations.
Abbas noted that the strength of a legislature should not be measured only by the laws it passes, but also by how effectively it documents its activities and preserves institutional knowledge.
He also highlighted the potential of technology and artificial intelligence to improve legislative research and access to information, while stressing the need to protect the accuracy, security and integrity of parliamentary records.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, also called for stronger measures to preserve and authenticate legislative documents, warning against the circulation of incomplete, outdated, altered or unauthorised copies of bills and Acts.
Ogunlana stressed that Nigerians must be able to identify authentic and authoritative versions of laws, adding that greater collaboration among relevant government institutions would help improve access to accurate legislative information.
He called for cooperation between the National Assembly, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Law Reform Commission and the Federal Government Press to ensure that current and authoritative versions of federal laws are readily available to the public.
The President of the Nigerian Library Association, Dr Lawal Umar, called for sustained investment in libraries and modern information technology, while encouraging stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
The National Assembly Library Week, which runs from September 28 to 30, 2026, is expected to promote legislative research, improve public access to parliamentary records and strengthen understanding of Nigeria's democratic institutions.
The planned translation of laws into indigenous languages, alongside the proposed digital initiatives, forms part of broader efforts to connect Nigerians more closely with the legislative process and improve
access to parliamentary information.
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